On June 23, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that seven individuals and five companies based in the U.S., France, the UAE, and Iran have been indicted in the Middle District of Georgia for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to illegally export military components for fighter jets and attack helicopters from the U.S. to Iran. Specifically, eight of the defendants were charged with conspiring to violate and violating the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions Regulations, as well as conspiracy to defraud the United States, money laundering and false statement violations.

One of the defendants and his company were sentenced on June 22, 2011, with the individual receiving almost five years in prison. Another defendant and his company have admitted their illegal conduct and also pleaded guilty in the investigation.

The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to export components for attack helicopters and fighter jets to Iran without the required U.S. export licenses. These components included military parts for the Bell AH-1 attack helicopter, the UH-1 Huey attack helicopter, as well as the F-5 and F-4 fighter jets.

One of the defendants and his company in the U.A.E. are alleged to have placed orders and purchased military aircraft parts, including those for the Bell AH-1 attack helicopter, from a defendant and his company in the U.S., who then exported the aircraft parts to the U.A.E.

One defendant in Illinois is alleged to have placed orders and purchased U.S. aircraft parts from another defendant in Georgia on behalf of an Iranian national and his company in Iran. The charges specify that the defendant in Georgia and other defendants exported the aircraft parts to Iran via defendants in France.

A conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A maximum penalty for an AECA violation is 20 years in prison, and an IEEPA violation carries a maximum penalty of 20 years. Money laundering carries a maximum 20 years in prison, while making false statements carries a maximum of five years in prison.